Informal Emptying Business in Mandalay: Its Reasons and Financial Impacts

Globally, 2.8 billion people use on-site sanitation facilities, which need regular emptying of accumulated fecal sludge. Illegal dumping from informal emptying businesses, one of the major challenges in environmental management, is widely observed. Considering Mandalay, Myanmar, this study aimed to determine why informal emptying businesses are selected and estimate the lost revenue for a formal emptying service provider (FP) due to the informal businesses. 

In this study, 400 households were interviewed on their recognition and experiences regarding emptying services and willingness-to-pay for improved service. Revenue loss was estimated by comparing the present and theoretical maximum revenues.

Acknowledgment - This study was carried out by Wutyi Naing from the Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies, Kyoto University.